Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 25

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 25. Proof
Nersaren moistened his throat with drink, his gaze sweeping over me from head to toe.
Pale skin, golden hair, and green eyes—the complete opposite of his people. And the bone structure… it was the kind of fascinating look one might give to an entirely different species.
“From the letter you sent, I thought you’d be younger.”
The handwriting had been rather careless and hurried. Despite the considerable courtesy in the words, I understood what he was truly saying.
“I still have much to learn. I’m making every effort not to become a burden to the Cheonryeo Tribe, so I hope you’ll bear with me.”
So he’d taken me for a fool. Nersaren’s eyebrows lifted slightly as he glanced back at his companions. A smile played at his lips—one that suggested he found this amusing.
“Your mother is the second wife, I hear. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Count Derga had disguised Philia’s existence as death to them. The story was that my birth mother had died when I was very young, and I’d lived in the manor ever since.
They would never suspect that a concubine—let alone one who’d lost her son—was still alive.
“You seem to resemble the lady quite a bit.”
“Indeed. It’s rather surprising that the Count produced such features…”
“Su! Hold your tongue.”
“Oh. My apologies.”
She was the youngest-looking among the group. Su raised her hand apologetically, looking embarrassed. From the way Nersaren addressed the Count with such casual disrespect, I could gauge exactly how the Cheonryeo Tribe viewed House of Bratz.
“That one is Su, my niece, and these are Gansha and Mujurun.”
Moreover, there was no apology from Nersaren himself—he simply introduced his companions and moved on. If all went well, if we survived crossing the border, these would be the people who’d share the rest of my life.
“You must regret leaving home so unexpectedly.”
“Not at all. I see it as a blessing that the alliance is being solidified through peace negotiations ahead of schedule. Of course, the Winchen Chieftain’s illness is deeply unfortunate.”
Nersaren had been about to seize on my words, but my addition left him with nothing to grasp. The refined eloquence of an imperial noble—even a young one—was unmistakable.
“But tell me, did the Chieftain’s condition come on suddenly?”
“Given his advanced age, ‘suddenly’ may not be the right word, but if I had to say, that’s all it amounts to.”
“I hope there’s no misunderstanding. Since you’ve come all this way, if you wish it, I can summon our physician.”
The Cheonryeo Tribe surely had some medical system of their own. But what could a tribal community truly manage? Likely nothing more than folk remedies and herbal decoctions. Despite being called the Frontier, the physicians of Bratz—part of the Empire—would be incomparable.
“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline. We have our own ways.”
He meant the traditions they’d maintained for centuries. Besides, their people rarely suffered serious injuries, and there was a fundamental belief that death itself was the will of the divine.
“Or perhaps, Nersaren, you might try asking for that instead? The crimson herb…”
A man named Ganshara interjected, but fell silent at Nersaren’s deadly glare.
Crimson herb? What was that? I kept my expression neutral while my mind worked, but nothing came to mind.
“In any case, thank you for receiving us so warmly despite the sudden visit. Please convey my gratitude to the Count as well.”
He left his thanks with the clear implication that he was ready to depart. But I didn’t step back. There was still one crucial matter left to attend to.
“Of course. And truthfully, the reason I came to see you is that I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
In truth, if they hadn’t come, things would have become rather troublesome. To cross the border with Berik, the only way was for him to position himself as an informant and watchdog, thereby earning Count Derga’s trust.
But the problem lay with Berik himself.
He had absolutely no sense of how to manipulate people while thinking things through, making it extraordinarily difficult to earn Count Derga’s confidence. If things went wrong, I’d be ordered to cross the Great Desert alone to the Cheonryeo Encampment.
“I have a friend who wishes to cross the Great Desert with me.”
“Do you mean the servant who was beside you earlier and the red-haired horse?”
It was Mujurun who had seen me with Hena and Berik. At his words, I shook my head.
“It’s just the red hair. Gansha has no family to speak of.”
“Everyone loses their parents given enough time.”
“I didn’t mean it as pity, but rather that since I have no attachment to House of Bratz, I can work for the Great Desert.”
Nersaren’s face hardened coldly.
The Great Desert was harsh in climate, but the very way of life there was fierce. There was no room for idle living.
This was likely one reason why Ian wasn’t welcomed there. A nobleman raised in luxury his entire life would have limited use in such a place.
“Work for us? I see. What exactly? Can you swim through sand dunes? Do you have immunity to scorpion venom? Or perhaps you can make seeds sprout without water?”
It was a fragmented glimpse into what life in the Cheonryeo Tribe was like. From their perspective, merely having him present without contributing would itself be a burden.
But Ian was not discouraged.
“I’m skilled in combat and possess good physical endurance.”
“Skilled in combat? Ha ha ha!”
Nersaren laughed purely for the first time. To speak of individual combat prowess before the Cheonryeo Tribe now—they were a race that could never be matched without weapons and magic.
“Now I understand. You enjoy jokes, Ian.”
“It’s not a joke.”
Ian met his gaze with a calm expression, conveying that this was no jest. Nersaren gradually wiped the smile from his face, then looked Ian up and down.
‘Small frame, yet quite bold.’
He had manners too.
He had shown hospitality that even the Count hadn’t offered, and though it was disagreeable, he’d shown kindness by offering to call a physician for Winchen. None of this seemed like flattery for survival. Rather, it was simply fulfilling one’s duty without malice.
But this was a separate matter.
One burden was enough—Ian Bratz alone.
“Ian Bratz. You are called a token of peace, but what use is that red hair to us? If you cannot earn your keep, I cannot take you with me.”
“That remains to be seen, doesn’t it?”
“I can tell without seeing. That small one skilled in combat—what nonsense is this?”
“If it’s difficult to believe—”
Ian cut himself off mid-sentence. He remained bold, showing no sign of backing down easily.
“How should I prove it?”
‘Look at this.’
Nersaren pondered briefly, then turned to Su. Su, who had been chewing bread with a full mouth, widened her eyes. She sensed this would be troublesome.
“Very well. You said you’re skilled in combat. If you defeat Su in a sparring match, I’ll take you with me.”
“Why me specifically? There’s Gansha and Mujurun too!”
“The weight classes don’t match.”
“Ugh. Seriously!”
After days of travel with no rest, and now a sparring match.
Su clicked her teeth in genuine annoyance. But Nersaren and his companions paid no mind, as if this were routine.
“Are you alright with this?”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
“Sparring among the Cheonryeo Tribe always draws blood. Keep that in mind.”
“Berik enjoys bloodshed anyway. He’ll be pleased.”
Ian said this while observing Su.
No matter how small her frame as a woman, Nersaren had brought her from enemy territory. She was certainly not someone to underestimate.
“Then I’ll see you after dinner. Rest well.”
“Meat! I want lots of meat. Or rather, I’m requesting lots of meat!”
“Understood, Su.”
I bowed politely and left the room. The moment I closed the door and turned down the corridor, I spotted the servants huddled together.
“Ian! Why are you so late?”
“We were worried something had happened.”
They all lingered anxiously around me. I simply smiled and reminded them about dinner, then woke Berik, who was sprawled across the sofa in deep sleep.
“Berik.”
“Mmm….”
“After dinner, you need to spar with the Cheonryeo Tribe.”
The moment those words left my lips, Berik’s eyes snapped open like electricity had struck him. What did I just say? With whom?
“Among those we saw earlier, there was one woman. You must defeat her to come with us to the Great Desert. Otherwise, you’ll have to follow alone.”
Berik’s eyes gleamed. He seemed utterly unconcerned about crossing the desert alone—the mere fact that he’d get to face off against ‘that’ Cheonryeo warrior appeared to delight him.
“But… with a woman?”
“Don’t underestimate her. She came with the Chieftain’s sibling when they arrived at House of Bratz. She looked remarkably swift.”
Gansha and Mujurun were definitely here for protection. The atmosphere around them radiated the spirit and bearing of true warriors—they’d survive even if thrown into a lion’s den.
But given the urgent nature of this mission, if complications arose, I needed someone who could move faster than anyone else. Su’s light frame gave me that assurance.
Berik mumbled while rubbing his face against the cushion.
“It’s not a race. What good is speed if she catches me anyway?”
“If she can catch you, that would be fortunate.”
“Huh?”
I gazed out the window and pondered for a moment.
Yes, if she could catch him at all….
“Berik. Listen carefully to what I say. I’ll teach you how to win.”
I sat across from the sofa and shared every possible tactic with him. The sky gradually darkened, and the manor’s torches illuminated the red flowers by the window.
* * *
Nersaren and his companions received their meal in their room and remained there. The soldiers guarding the manor’s exterior made any movement inadvisable.
Of course, physical restrictions posed no real problem for them.
“How are we getting out?”
The backyard, some distance from the guest house. A figure’s shadow flickered across the fourth-floor lit window. Since all the manor’s soldiers were guarding the guest house, the backyard lay silent.
“Huh?”
The window opened and a figure dropped straight down. Berik froze in shock, but I had anticipated this and simply lifted my head.
Then I began counting time. One second, two seconds, three seconds….
“Hello!”
Su’s head popped out from the bushes. She’d covered quite a distance in merely ten seconds. This was practically beast-level movement.
“Hmm. This place is nice. It’s been so long since I smelled grass.”
“Where are the others?”
“Resting in the room. We’re leaving early tomorrow. This is why being the youngest is unfair.”
With no one else listening, Su spoke to me more casually. This was precisely the position I’d find myself in once we crossed the border—a rank so low that even the group’s youngest would address me without formality.
Berik glanced at Su, then looked back toward the guest house.
“He jumped out of that window?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“How are you planning to get back up?”
“I’ll use the same way to get back down.”
His expression suggested he saw no problem with it. Berik let out a light laugh and nodded with satisfaction. Right, he truly was of the Cheonryeo Tribe. This was the caliber I needed!
“Time limit: five minutes. If you can knock me down within that, I’ll acknowledge it.”
“Five minutes? Isn’t that too short?”
“If you can’t do it in five minutes, you won’t manage it even with a full day.”
“Ha, this is ridiculous. You think you’re that good?”
When had they ever seen me fight? Ian crossed his arms and stepped back slightly.
In truth, the absence of other observers was a complete dismissal of them. Yet this very fact granted Ian and Berik a distinct advantage.
“Berik. Come here.”
A faint hum resonated through the air.
Ian grasped the back of Berik’s head and poured mana into him. His eyes, gleaming with golden light, would be hidden behind Berik’s head from view.
Mana activation was relatively effortless this way, and more importantly—
“Remember what I told you earlier.”
I could employ tactics.
Su scratched at her ear as if asking when they would begin.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————